Sick and tired of sacrificing other expenses to pay car insurance each month? You’re in the same situation as millions of other consumers.
We don’t have to point out that fact that insurance companies don’t want customers comparing rates. Drivers who shop around for cheaper rates will, in all likelihood, move their business because there is a significant possibility of finding lower prices. Remarkably, a study showed that people who routinely shopped around saved over $3,500 over four years compared to policyholders who didn’t regularly shop around.
If finding the lowest rates on auto insurance in Bakersfield is the reason for your visit, then having an understanding of the best ways to find and compare insurance premiums can help make the process easier.
Numerous insurers battle for your hard-earned dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a provider to get the lowest price on Volkswagen Rabbit insurance in Bakersfield.
Don’t overlook these Volkswagen Rabbit insurance discounts
Some companies do not list every policy discount in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below details a few of the more well known and also the more inconspicuous discounts that you may qualify for.
- Good Driver Discount – Drivers without accidents may save up to 50% more than their less cautious counterparts.
- Discount for Multiple Policies – If you can combine your auto and homeowners policy and place coverage with the same company you could save at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
- Clubs and Organizations – Belonging to certain professional organizations is a good way to get lower rates when getting a Bakersfield auto insurance quote.
- Auto/Life Discount – Some insurance companies give better insurance rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
- Good Student – A discount for being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. You can use this discount normally well after school through age 25.
- Theft Deterrent – Vehicles with anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently so companies will give you a small discount.
- New Car Discount – Insuring a new Rabbit can save up to 30% because new model year vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Full Payment Discount – By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
A quick disclaimer, many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Just because you may think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
A list of companies and some of the premium reductions they offer include:
- State Farm includes discounts for multiple policy, driver’s education, Drive Safe & Save, accident-free, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include alternative fuel, youthful driver, multi-car, pay in full, electronic funds transfer, teen driver, and good student.
- Progressive may offer discounts for homeowner, multi-vehicle, good student, online quote discount, and online signing.
- GEICO offers discounts for five-year accident-free, multi-policy, membership and employees, anti-lock brakes, emergency military deployment, and anti-theft.
- Auto-Owners Insurance has discounts for mature driver, multiple vehicles, good student, anti-theft, teen driver, safe vehicle, and paperless.
- The Hartford has savings for defensive driver, vehicle fuel type, bundle, driver training, anti-theft, air bag, and good student.
- Farm Bureau offers discounts including multi-policy, safe driver, good student, youthful driver, renewal discount, and multi-vehicle.
- USAA policyholders can earn discounts including safe driver, multi-vehicle, new vehicle, good student, and annual mileage.
Before you buy a policy, ask all companies you are considering how many discounts you can get. Some credits may not be offered in Bakersfield.
It’s important to know that comparing a wide range of rates gives you a better chance of getting more affordable insurance.
The auto insurance companies shown below offer price quotes in Bakersfield, CA. If several companies are displayed, we suggest you visit as many as you can to get the most affordable price.
Why Your Insurance Prices might be higher
A large part of saving on car insurance is knowing the rating factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines premiums, this enables you to make decisions that can help you get big savings. Many different elements are part of the equation when you get your auto insurance bill. Most are fairly basic such as traffic violations, but others are less obvious like where you live or your financial responsibility.
Listed below are just a few of the factors car insurance companies consider when setting your rate level.
- Annual mileage impacts rates – The higher the mileage driven in a year the more you’ll pay to insure it. Almost all companies charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Cars that have low annual miles receive better premium rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. A policy that improperly rates your Rabbit is throwing money out the window. Double check that your vehicle rating shows the correct usage for each vehicle, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Where you live factors in – Being located in a small town is a good thing when trying to find low car insurance rates. Fewer drivers on the road corresponds to lower accident rates in addition to lower liability claims. Residents of big cities have more aggressive driving styles and higher rates of accident claims. More time behind the wheel means more chance of being in an accident.
- Occupation reflects on rates – Occupations like military generals, business owners, and emergency personnel tend to pay higher average rates in part from stressful work requirements and long work hours. Other careers like actors, engineers and homemakers pay lower than average rates.
- Age of drivers impacts prices – More experienced drivers are viewed as being more responsible, cost insurance companies less in claims, and usually have better credit. Teenage drivers have been known to be easily distracted when behind the wheel so car insurance rates are higher.
- High performance equals high prices – The make and model of the vehicle you need insurance for makes a big difference in your premium level. The lowest rates will normally be found when insuring the lowest performance passenger cars, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
- Car plus home equals more savings – Some insurance companies apply lower prices to buyers that have more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can amount to as much as ten percent or more Even with this discount, consumers should still compare Volkswagen Rabbit rates in Bakersfield to verify if the discount is saving money.
- Do you really need roadside assistance? – There are a lot of additional extra coverages that can waste your money if you aren’t careful. Add-on coverages like rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage, and Farm Bureau memberships may be costing you every month. These coverages may sound good when discussing your needs, but your money might be better spent on other coverage so remove them from your policy.
- Buy as much liability as you can afford – Your policy’s liability coverage will afford coverage when a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court which can cost a lot. This coverage is very inexpensive as compared to coverage for physical damage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.
When should I discuss my situation with an agent?
When selecting coverage, there really is no one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
For instance, these questions may help highlight whether or not you could use an agent’s help.
- When can my company non-renew my policy?
- Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
- If I drive on a suspended license am I covered?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Is a new car covered when I drive it off the dealer lot?
- When should I remove my kid from my policy?
- Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
- Is my trailer covered?
- Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
- Can my babysitter drive my car?
If you’re not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
Can’t I compare rates from local Bakersfield auto insurance agents?
Many people just prefer to get advice from a local agent and that is a personal choice. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that drivers can save money and get cheaper prices but also keep your business local.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is immediately sent to insurance agents in Bakersfield that give free quotes for your business. You won’t need to search for any insurance agencies as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. You can most likely find cheaper rates and an insurance agent to talk to. If for some reason you want to get a price quote from a specific company, feel free to search and find their rate quote page and give them your coverage information.
Selecting an provider should depend on more than just the premium amount. Below are some questions you should ask.
- Is there a Errors and Omissions policy in force?
- Are there any extra charges for paying monthly?
- Is auto insurance their primary focus in Bakersfield?
- Will you work with the agent or an assistant?
- Are they paid to recommend certain coverages?
Is an exclusive or independent car insurance agent right for you?
When looking for a local Bakersfield insurance agent, it helps to know the two types of agencies and how they operate. Auto insurance agencies are classified as either exclusive agents or independent agents.
Exclusive Agencies
Exclusive agents can usually just insure with one company like State Farm or Allstate. These agents are unable to provide rate quotes from other companies so you need to shop around if the rates are high. Exclusive agents are trained well on their products and sales techniques and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.
Shown below is a short list of exclusive agents in Bakersfield willing to provide price quote information.
Allstate Insurance: Charles Brummer
4300 Coffee Rd, Ste A4 – Bakersfield, CA 93308 – (661) 283-0300 – View Map
Jim Windes – State Farm Insurance Agent
3512 Coffee Rd d – Bakersfield, CA 93308 – (661) 588-1001 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Diana Martinez
6300 White Ln T – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 827-8800 – View Map
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Agents in the independent channel often have affiliation with several companies so they have the ability to put coverage amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. If premiums increase, the agent simply finds a different carrier which requires no work on your part. If you are comparing rate quotes, you need to include at least one independent agent in order to have the best price comparison.
The following is a list of independent agents in Bakersfield who can help you get price quote information.
California Insurance Specialist
1601 New Stine Rd # 100 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 397-3944 – View Map
William K Lyons Agency Inc
2100 F St # 200 – Bakersfield, CA 93301 – (661) 327-9731 – View Map
NSE Insurance Agencies, Inc.
5330 Office Center Ct # 69 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 327-0620 – View Map
Once you have received answers to your satisfaction to these questions and the cheapest Volkswagen Rabbit insurance in Bakersfield quotes, you may have found a car insurance agent that can be trusted to service your policy.
Three reasons to insure your Rabbit
Even though Bakersfield Rabbit insurance rates can get expensive, paying for car insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.
- The majority of states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means the state requires specific minimum amounts of liability protection in order to drive the car. In California these limits are 15/30/5 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you have a loan on your Volkswagen, more than likely the lender will make it a condition of the loan that you have physical damage coverage to guarantee loan repayment. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender will be forced to insure your Volkswagen for a much higher rate and force you to pay the higher price.
- Insurance protects not only your Volkswagen Rabbit but also your assets. Insurance will also pay for many types of medical costs for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also covers legal expenses if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, your policy will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of buying car insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially for larger claims. But the average driver in California is overpaying more than $869 every year so it’s important to compare rates at every renewal to make sure the price is not too high.
Auto insurance companies ranked
Selecting the top auto insurance provider can be a challenge considering how many companies sell coverage in Bakersfield. The ranking information shown next can help you pick which companies to look at to insure your vehicles.
Top 10 Bakersfield Car Insurance Companies Overall
- USAA
- American Family
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- The General
- Titan Insurance
- Progressive
Top 10 Bakersfield Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- Titan Insurance – 95%
- USAA – 94%
- AAA of Southern California – 92%
- AAA Insurance – 91%
- Nationwide – 90%
- State Farm – 90%
- The Hartford – 89%
- GEICO – 89%
- The General – 88%
- 21st Century – 88%
Cheaper car insurance rates are out there
Some companies may not provide online rate quotes and these smaller companies prefer to sell through independent agents. Budget-friendly car insurance in Bakersfield can be sourced both online in addition to many Bakersfield insurance agents, so you need to compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money.
Insureds leave their current company for a variety of reasons including poor customer service, policy cancellation, an unsatisfactory settlement offer or even denial of a claim. Whatever your reason, finding a new car insurance company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
As you restructure your insurance plan, make sure you don’t skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed physical damage coverage and found out when filing a claim that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your strategy should be to find the BEST coverage at the best cost and still be able to protect your assets.
How to find cheaper quotes for Volkswagen Rabbit insurance in Bakersfield
The preferred way to get budget car insurance rates is to compare prices at least once a year from providers in Bakersfield.
- Step 1: Take a little time to learn about how car insurance works and the changes you can make to keep rates low. Many rating factors that cause rate increases such as accidents, traffic tickets, and a not-so-good credit score can be controlled by being financially responsible and driving safely.
- Step 2: Obtain price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct and exclusive agents can only quote rates from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agencies can provide rate quotes from multiple sources. Find a Bakersfield insurance agent
- Step 3: Compare the new quotes to your existing policy to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you find better rates and make a switch, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
- Step 4: Provide proper notification to your current company to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application to your new company or agent. Once the application is submitted, put the proof of insurance certificate in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.
One bit of advice is to make sure you enter the same amount of coverage on every quote and and to compare all possible companies. Doing this provides a fair rate comparison and a good representation of prices.
Helpful resources
- Top Signs Your Brakes are Giving Out (State Farm)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes with Multiple Speeding Tickets in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for 4×4 Vehicles in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for State Employees in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- How Much are Bakersfield Car Insurance Quotes for 18 Year Olds? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Bakersfield Car Insurance Quotes for a Ford Edge? (FAQ)
- How Much are Car Insurance Rates for 17 Year Olds in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Uber Drivers in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Bakersfield Car Insurance Rates for a 20 Year Old Female? (FAQ)
- Rearview cameras reduce backing crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Distracted Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Pickups fall short in headlight tests (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)